Wall mounted hard wired remote controls for ceiling fans and lights require the consumer to remove the original hard wired switch and install a new hard wired switch with remote control functions built in. This can be very intimidating and potentially hazardous for novice do-it-yourselfers.
Current battery powered wall mounted remote controls for ceiling fans and lights require the permanent mounting of the device into the wall near the hard wired switch. This action can cause damage to the wall that is costly to repair and is an eyesore because it stands off from the wall in a manner that is not normal.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,695,934, assigned to Palm Coast Imports LLC, the assignee of the present application, describes a detachable magnetic docking system for a handheld remote control device that includes a docking plate with a major surface and a shell for the handheld device with a reverse surface. The docking plate is wall mounted. The major surface and the reverse surface are contoured to mate when adjacent one another to align the shell over the docking plate. Cooperative magnetic elements are located in the docking plate and in the shell to retain the handheld device on the docking plate. The contour of the major surface includes a recessed area. The handheld device includes an internal battery compartments located adjacent non-recessed areas of the major surface.
What is needed to solve the problem is a battery powered remote control for ceiling fans and lights that can be installed over the current switch without hard wiring into the electrical system at the switch box.